CHAPTER XXVI
A DUEL
Nothing pleased de Lotbiniere better than shaping a policy. His darkeyes were constantly full of plan, whether they looked at you or intothe masses of a boulevard flowing with people, or at his own prospectsor those of his family pictured in the future.
Upon the mother-of-pearl writing-desk in front of him lay his journal,containing, in a close and perfect handwriting--of a piece with hisskill as a Royal Engineer in military designing--an industrious accountof whatever incidents seemed from day to day of use to him. The entryvisible at the head of the new page read--"Repentigny absolutely refusesto prosecute the impostor."
The Marquis, however, was for the moment engaged upon a letter pressinghis interests with the Minister, and in which he was composing thesentence--"Thus, my Lord, I find myself again in possession of the happyprivilege of humbly recalling to you my services, resulting, with thoseof General Montcalm, in the great victories of Ticonderoga and FortWilliam Henry, and I----"
He reached the bell-rope and pulled it. His servant immediately entered.
"You will take this letter which I am signing to the Palace of theLouvre, where you will ask for the third supernumerary private Secretaryof the Minister, to whom you are to hand it with the money there on thetable, and say that it is sent by the Marquis de Lotbiniere. Repeat thename _twice_ very distinctly to him, and see there is no mistake about_third_ or _supernumerary_ or _private_. Here it is. Seal and carry it.Have you brought me no mail this morning?"
"I was about to hand you this note, Monseigneur."
De Lotbiniere looked methodically at the seal, the handwriting, and thedate of the postmark.
"Go," he said to the servant.
The incoming letter was from Louis de Lery, begging his uncle's advicein the affair of Lecour.
"The horror I have," wrote he, after relating the circumstances, "is not of death, for in that respect I shall not be found unworthy of our ancestors. It is solely the horror--the disgust--of being compelled to measure myself with a being so ill-assorted. I cannot limit myself in expressions at my comrades who force this upon me, nor of detestation and repugnance towards _the creature itself_. What am I do? Your experience just now would be invaluable to me.
"LOUIS R. C. DE LERY."
"_Peste_, what a fine mess for us all!" de Lotbiniere exclaimed. "Thepersistence of this fellow is incredible. They say de Bailleul supportshim. I shall begin, then, by removing the support of de Bailleul. Louismust not fight this duel."
He picked out a sheet from his pile of gilt-edged note-paper, laid itdown, selected a quill and tried it, then wrote de Bailleul a sharpletter, as follows--
"MON CHER DE BAILLEUL,--They tell me to my amazement that it is you who are the protector of the young Canadian Lecour, who is just now making such a noise as an adventurer. He has at least obtained a high commission in the Bodyguard by the use of your name. I have no doubt that you are aware that he is the son of Lecour of St. Elphege, my former _cantineer_. Can it be true that, knowing his birth to be so base, you go so far as to permit him the use of your position in these intrigues? If that be so--for I hesitate to credit it--let me go farther and remark that a most serious consequence has just followed his indiscretion. He challenges my nephew, de Lery, for a date fixed and imminent. We consider you responsible for this situation. I consequently trust that you will find some way to suppress your brazen-faced _protege_.
"And I have the honour to be, sir, &c., "THE MIS. DE CHARTIER DE LOTBINIERE."
"That will end him," remarked he, and reading it over, he folded,addressed and sealed it, and putting on his hat and gloves proceeded tothe General Depot of the Post. There he took out his watch, noted thehour and minute, and handed in the letter.
The Chevalier was then in Versailles, so that Lotbiniere's note reachedhim quickly, and he replied--
"MY DEAR SIR,--Your note is a great shock to me. I have not slept nor lain down all night, on account of the matter of our young countryman, which is one of the most unfortunate in the world. He is as a son to me; and out of my feelings for him I beseech you to treat him considerately, for you cannot know how sensitive and fine-minded he is; the immediate ruin would kill him. Let us rather combine to withdraw him more gradually from his false position. Cannot the quarrel between the young men be softened by gentle means? As for myself, I am ready to use my best influence with you in that direction."
The Marquis read the letter over twice.
"He is asking quarter," he ultimately pronounced; "clemency is asked ofthe victor: well, I will be clement. Lecour shall first write a humbleretraction of all his claims. This shall be left in my hands by him forthirty days, during which the pretender shall leave France. De Lery willthen exhibit the retraction, with attestations both by myself and deBailleul."
De Lotbiniere contemplated the cupids frescoed on the frieze urbanely.He was victor.
A knock came, and the Marquis de Repentigny was ushered in.
"See," said he, "what is going all over Paris"; and he gave a newspaperpassage to de Lotbiniere to read.
The item ran--
"The duel between the two Bodyguards, Monsieur de Lery and the Chevalierde Repentigny, took place this morning at four o'clock in the woods ofBois du Lac. It is said that on account of some provincial quarrel, theformer had insulted the latter by denying his gentility, of which,however, the Chevalier had made the amplest proofs on entering hisregiment. During the duel, he displayed the firmest yet most amiablespirit, and having disarmed M. de Lery upon the _coup de tierce_,magnanimously refused to draw blood. The seconds then interfered anddeclared the honour of the combatants satisfied."
"Devil! _Peste!_ Species of pig!" de Lotbiniere cried, his rage findingtoo few words.
"I just now heard some more details from an officer of of the LambescDragoons," Repentigny continued. "My namesake was perfectly silent;Louis, on the contrary, quite unlike his ordinary manner, made noattempt to control himself. He never ceased to exclaim, 'Clodfoot!Impostor!' and to taunt the stranger at each stroke with his father'sorigin. Finally Louis was disarmed, whereupon, with the same silence,Lecour handed back his sword--'with great dignity' said the Dragoon, andLouis refused to receive it."
"'With great dignity!'" shouted de Lotbiniere--"You speak as though youhad no feeling."
"On the contrary," replied Repentigny, "I am very sorry for every oneconcerned."
"Save your pity! I shall now bring up my heavy guns."